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dc.titleSustainable Energy Paths for the Caribbean
dc.contributor.authorMasson, Malaika
dc.contributor.authorEhrhardt, David
dc.contributor.authorLizzio, Veronica
dc.contributor.orgunitEnergy Division
dc.coverageTrinidad and Tobago
dc.coverageJamaica
dc.coverageGuyana
dc.coverageBahamas
dc.coverageBarbados
dc.coverageSuriname
dc.coverageBelize
dc.coverageDominica
dc.coverageAntigua and Barbuda
dc.coverageGrenada
dc.coverageSaint Kitts and Nevis
dc.coverageSaint Lucia
dc.coverageSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
dc.coverageThe Caribbean
dc.date.available2020-03-12T00:00:00
dc.date.issue2020-03-12T00:00:00
dc.description.abstractThis paper uses detailed datasets and modelling of 13 countries to develop sustainable energy pathways for the Caribbean. These pathways can deliver US$16 billion in net benefits over 20 years, require investments of US$11 billion, and can save 54 million tons of CO2 emissions. While the Caribbean region has not met its ambitious renewable energy targets, advances in solar, wind and battery storage technologies mean that these technologies are now least cost in many circumstances: renewable generation penetration of 21% is economically justified. However, the need for dispatchable power and energy at night, along with the use of indigenous hydro-carbons, limits the economically viable uptake of renewable generation. In Caribbean countries with suitable geothermal and hydro resources, 100% renewable power is economically feasible. In others, natural gas will be a cheaper, cleaner substitute for the diesel and Heavy Fuel Oil currently being used, at least until battery storage becomes competitive for sustained night time supply. Energy efficiency investments have the potential to reduce total generation needed by 18% while producing net benefits of US$6 billion. Increasingly frequent intense hurricanes have devastated several Caribbean island energy systems, and this is projected to continue, justifying investment in resilience in generation, undergrounding portions of networks, and new grid configurations such as the use of minigrids with distributed generation and storage. Initial estimates suggest that around US$2.5 billion in resilience could yield net benefits worth over US$4 billion. The paper also includes policy recommendations for the region in the areas of standards, integrated resource and resilience plans, regulation and financing mechanisms.
dc.format.extent50
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0002236
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Sustainable_Energy_Paths_for_the_Caribbean.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.mediumAdobe PDF
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectSustainable Energy
dc.subjectElectricity Generation
dc.subjectRenewable Energy
dc.subjectEnergy Efficiency
dc.subjectSolar Energy
dc.subjectNatural Gas
dc.subjectHurricane
dc.subjectWind Power
dc.subjectDiesel
dc.subject.jelcodeO13 - Agriculture • Natural Resources • Energy • Environment • Other Primary Products
dc.subject.jelcodeQ42 - Alternative Energy Sources
dc.subject.jelcodeQ43 - Energy and the Macroeconomy
dc.subject.jelcodeQ40 - Energy: General
dc.subject.jelcodeQ41 - Demand and Supply • Prices
dc.subject.keywordsSustainable Energy;Renewable energy;energy efficiency;Wind Power;Solar Energy
dc.typeCatalogs and Brochures
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-CB-00267
idb.operationRG-T3108
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